The Mangistausky area — is the country of the most ancient civilization, the archaeological reserve open-air.
In 1 millennium BC on Mangistau's lands passed the Great silk way from Khoresm and Khiva to Europe and to the Middle East. On a plateau Ustyurt along this way there were fortresses, caravanserais, settlements of handicraftsmen, cattle-farmers and hunters. Archeological finds testify that in fortresses and in these settlements there was rather high standard of living. Great resettlement of the people and the related uncountable wars interrupted the Great silk way through Ustyurt, and the Mongolian invasion finally buried and wiped out its attributes.
Mangistau for many centuries was removed on the very brink Euroasian ойкумены. For the first time the peninsula of Mangyshlak is mentioned in the IX century under the name Siyakh-Kukh («The black mountain») the Arab geographer Al — Istakhri who wrote: «I don't know at that edge of other place in which somebody lives, except unless Siyakh-Kukh where there lives a tribe from Turkic peoples; they lodged recently there because of hostility which arose between public healthcare institutions and them». One more mention of settlement existence on the peninsula of Mangyshlak is connected with a name of seldzhuksky sultan Alp-Arslan, in 1065 compelled кыпчаков to a fortress Mangyshlak will obey to its power.
Fortress Mangyshlak (Kazakh. To Mangistau), existing in the X—XIII centuries as a large trading post, entitled all peninsula; its exact arrangement isn't known, allegedly, it was on a place of a site of ancient settlement Kyzyl-Kala (now archaeological researches there are carried out).
Economic awakening of the region was caused by opening by geologists in the early fifties in a subsoil of Mangistausky area of the richest deposits of uranium and rare-earth elements, oil and gas. Now the area one of the most prospering in Kazakhstan, amplifies in recent years an immigration increase in population.
Culture
In Mangistausky area there are the unique archaeological and historical monuments which have remained since prosperity of this country, including petroglyphic drawings poems, surprising constructions and Beket-At, Shakpak-At, Shopan-At, Masat-At's mosques where pilgrims not only from Kazakhstan, but also from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and the Caucasus, Iran and Turkey go a never-ending stream.
In 1850 — 1857 in. The fort Shevchenko lived in exile the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.
Minerals
In the territory of area rich deposits of minerals settle down. Stocks of mineral raw materials on their variety, capacities of deposits, conveniences of their development are unique and practically have no analogs in world geology.
Main types of minerals are oil and gas. The majority of fields is concentrated around. New Uzen and on the peninsula Buzachi. In the territory of Mangistausky area it is reconnoitered 59 oil fields and gas, including: Aksaz, Aktota, Arystanovsky.
Oil explored reserves on area make over 3 billion tons. Besides, detection of large stocks a nave is predicted
